Milestones...

   I had an opportunity to return to my hometown for a Fourth of July parade. That may not seem so exciting, but I saw many of my childhood friends and 'heroes'. One that I saw in the parade is the reason why I serve the Lord today.

   Growing up, my parents never attended church - but they made sure that me and my little sister went to church. When I was 10 and my sister was 7, we started attending another church. We had come from a Sunday School class of 4 to a children's program of 40-50 kids! It was so much fun! But the person that had the greatest impact was a man named Don. He was (and still is) a very humble and Christ-like man.

   My sister and I grew up in the 1970's - many churches had purchased old school buses and used them to pick up kids for church. (Many use vans now...). Every Saturday morning, Don would stop by and ask us if we were going to church. Whether we said 'yes' or 'no', he still gave us a piece of bubble gum. I am not sure how long he did that, but I know that he did it for many years. When I saw him in the parade, I wasn't sure that it was him. We have not seen each other for many years; he had dark hair when I last saw him. He has white hair now.

   Since that day, I have had many milestones in my life: I am preparing for the 'big 5-0' in November. While it is just another birthday, it has given me time to pause and reflect on those lives that I have had the privilege of impacting over the years. I am proud to say that my children are my greatest legacy. I am proud, yet humbled, in the way that their lives have been impacted by the Christ-like influences in their lives.

   "Train up our children in the way they should go; and, when they are old, they will not depart from it..." (Proverbs 22:6)